Thousands of students turned away as education opportunities fade for many;

College leaders & students issue plea for public to ask help from local legislators who continue to oppose budget measures to protect community college funding
 

By Miriam Raftery
 

May 17, 2011 (El Cajon) –Tens of thousands of students have been turned away from community colleges in our region this summer following $73 million in budget cuts---at a time when California had the largest high school graduation rate in history and unemployment levels are soaring. Fees have gone up by nearly a third and staff positions have been slashed—but the worst may be yet to come.

“An all-cuts budget would be nothing short of an educational Armageddon,” warned Cindy Miles, Chancellor of the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District (GCCCD). Miles joined leaders of six community college districts in a press conference at Grossmont College today to show the dire consequences of recent budget cuts and worse impacts if the all-cuts budget is enacted.  She and other leaders praised Governor Jerry Brown for requesting an extension of existing taxes to prevent the all-cuts budget option. (View a video with more of Miles' remarks.)

But Republicans (including East County representatives Joel Anderson and Brian Jones) have refused to support the Governor’s budget.  They remain determined to force an all-cuts budget regardless of consequences on local students and our region’s economy, top educators warned.

May 15, 2011 (Washington D.C.) -- In response to reports that the Pentagon is considering allowing detainees at Guantanamo Bay the opportunity to visit with family, Congressman Duncan Hunter (CA-52), a veteran of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, introduced legislation this week to prohibit the U.S. Secretary of Defense from allowing detainees at the facility to meet with family members.

Register no later than Thursday, May 12, 2011 (information at end of article). 

May 10, 2011 (San Diego) -- Congressman Bob Filner wants to make sure all of the small businesses in San Diego and surrounding areas have the opportunity to take advantage of the Small Business Administration (SBA) Jobs Act Tour, which is making a stop in San Diego on Friday, June 3, 2011.

“This will give small businesses access to all of the tools and experts the SBA now offers under the Jobs Act,” said Congressman Filner.  “This event is about bringing government resources to the small businesses so they don’t have to go to several different places to find out how we can help them grow their businesses.”

May 5, 2011 (Washington D.C.) – Congressman Duncan Hunter (R-El Cajon) testified yesterday before the House Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands on H.R. 290, the War Memorial Protection Act. Hunter introduced the legislation—which allows for the inclusion of religious symbols on war memorials—in response to a recent ruling by the Ninth Circuit declaring the Mt. Soledad Veterans Memorial unconstitutional.

May 5, 2011 (Lemon Grove) – A packed audience turned out Tuesday in Lemon Grove, where the cash-strapped city’s council voted 3-2 to eliminate the Recreation Department. Around 20 members of the community addressed the council, which also opted against outsourcing programs to the YMCA.

“All the community people who spoke were in favor of keeping the city’s youth programs,” said Councilman George Gastil, who voted against axing the department.

By Jeremy Los

“This issue has received band-aid approaches to fix it when it needs a tourniquet.” – La Mesa Mayor Art Madrid

“We look at them as a resource… they are the eyes and ears of the community… they certainly know when something is going on.” – El Cajon Mayor Mark Lewis, on the homeless in his town

 "I do not feel there needs to be a regional center for the homeless in East County." -- Lemon Grove Mayor Mary Sessom

"I am not in the homeless business." - Santee Mayor Randy Voepel

April 26, 2011 – Four East County mayors shared their reactions on a new study on the many homeless in our region. Their views differed dramatically on how to address the homeless problem.  In addition, three of the four mayors questioned the study findings and voiced doubts on the numbers of homeless people listed in their cities. 

According to the 2011 Point-In-Time Count by the Regional Task Force on the Homeless, East County is now home to 8.9% of San Diego County’s homeless population, with El Cajon staking claim to the highest number of homeless people. However, the majority of El Cajon's homeless are in shelters--while in other East County communities, the homeless are living on the streets, in cars, or camped along riverbeds.  

April 19, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) – Who’s giving money to your elected officials? Are there conflicts of interest?

Now you can find out easily thanks to two new websites just launched.

Compromise budget includes large cuts to health and nutrition programs for low-income Americans, public broadcasting, Planned Parenthood services, high-speed rail, and air pollution controls

By Jeremy Los

April 13, 2011- A government shut down was averted in the 11th hour as House Republicans were able to reach agreement Friday with President Barack Obama and Senate Democrats about a budget for the next six months. 

The compromise will look to cut federal spending by some $38 billion dollars this year. The budget itself has yet to be completely passed, however, as Friday’s last minute deal simply provided a stopgap, allowing for a continued flow of federal funding through this Thursday. Update April 15, 2011 - Congress approved the stopgap budget yesterday for funding through year's end.

April 13, 2011 (San Diego)—Assemblymembers Marty Block (D-AD78) and Nathan Fletcher (R-AD 75) were honored with Legislator of the Year awards from Crime Victims United of California during an annual march on the State Capitol last week. The event draws victims from all over the state to join together and remind legislators that they will not be forgotten.

Pimping and other exploitative crimes are now second biggest revenue source for gangs in San Diego County

April 8, 2011 (San Diego) – To help law enforcement tackle the growing problem of gang-related criminal sexual exploitation and human trafficking, Assemblymember Marty Block (AD-78) today was joined by San Diego County Supervisor Dianne Jacob, San Diego County District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis and San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore to support AB 918. 

The bill, authored by Block and sponsored by San Diego County, would give law enforcement better tools to combat criminal street gangs that commit the crimes of pimping, pandering or human trafficking--the second biggest income source for local gangs.

April 8, 2011 (Lemon Grove) – By a 4-1 vote, the Lemon Grove City Council ordered staff to come up with a plan to shut down its Parks & Recreation Department, outsource programs for children and adults to the YMCA, but find a means to keep other functions of the department.

Those functions include leasing recreation buildings to community groups and operating city events, such as the holiday bonfire and concerts in the park. Staff will present its report to Council on May 3rd.

By Miriam Raftery

April 4, 2011 (Lemon Grove) – Faced with a budget gap, Lemon Grove City Council will consider four proposals at Tuesday's meeting for slashing costs in recreational services:

1) outsource youth programs to the Boys and Girls Club of East County;

2) Outsource both youth and adult services to the East County Family YMCA;

3) Combine contracting with one of those organizations to run some programs, while having a new Recreation Services Department handle others;

4) Completely eliminate the City’s Recreation Services Department—a move that could also end City-sponsored community events such as Concerts in the Park, Movie Night, and the annual holiday Bonfire.

March 31, 2011 (Washington D.C.) – In recognition of her leadership on animal protection issues and for receiving a perfect score on the 2010 Humane Scorecard, Congresswoman Susan Davis (D-San Diego) was named a Humane Champion. It is the highest award given by the Humane Society of the United States and the Humane Society Legislative Fund.

The organizations also singled out Davis’s bill that would designate National Link Awareness Month to raise awareness about the link between domestic violence and cruelty to animals.

March 30, 2011 (Sacramento)--Assemblymember Marty Block (AD-78) announced today that the Assembly Committee on Higher Education, which he chairs, has approved his bill to improve the campus climates for LGBT students at public colleges and universities. AB 620 would require the California State University and California Community Colleges, and request the University of California, to adopt policies on harassment, intimidation and bullying in their student codes of conduct.

March 29, 2011 (San Diego)--Congresswoman Susan Davis (D-San Diego) and Education Secretary Arne Duncan made a call for education reform, framing the issue in a national security context. The push for reform was at a recent press conference following a tour of an early childhood facility at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar.